In recent years, the incidence of menopausal symptoms among Chinese men has increased significantly, with symptoms appearing at earlier ages. This trend results from multiple factors. Beyond age, certain groups are at higher risk for male menopause.What symptoms fall within the scope of male menopause?
Experts indicate that menopause primarily manifests in the following areas:
Declining physical strength and chronic insomnia: As they age, men in menopause experience reduced physical stamina, feeling easily fatigued and weak; diminished cognitive and spatial skills; frequent insomnia or even sleep disorders; decreased muscle strength and mass, often accompanied by lower back pain and leg weakness.
Irritability and pessimism: Men in menopause may experience diminished memory, thinking ability, and concentration. They are prone to depression, often exhibiting emotional detachment, low mood, pessimism, and loss of enthusiasm for life. They may also become mentally tense, impatient, and overly suspicious.
Excessive sweating and frequent palpitations: Cardiovascular aging leads to vascular issues such as reduced elasticity, hardening of blood vessels, and arteriosclerosis. This disrupts vascular regulation, causing symptoms like facial flushing, sweating, palpitations, and headaches.
Decline in sexual function: Reduced androgen levels lead to decreased libido, reduced sexual activity, diminished penile rigidity, fewer and weaker nocturnal erections, and testicular atrophy.
Digestive issues and bloating: Like women experiencing menopause, men going through andropause may encounter decreased appetite, indigestion, post-meal bloating, bitter taste in the mouth, acid reflux, constipation, or diarrhea.
Addressing menopausal symptoms through dietary adjustments:
1.Goji Berry Soup
Equal parts goji berries, mulberries, and red dates boiled in water; take once in the morning and once in the evening. Alternatively, stew 30g Chinese yam and 10g lean meat into soup, consumed once daily. Suitable for menopausal individuals experiencing dizziness, poor appetite, fatigue, and pallor.
2. Goji Berry and Chestnut Lamb Soup
15g goji berries, 30g chestnuts, 300g lamb, seasonings to taste. Cut lamb into chunks, combine with chestnut meat and goji berries in a pot. Add water, bring to boil, season, and simmer until lamb is tender.This serves one day's portion, divided into two servings. This medicinal dish nourishes yin, strengthens the kidneys, fortifies the spleen, and boosts qi. Suitable for menopausal individuals with kidney yin deficiency, experiencing soreness in the lower back and knees, fatigue, diminished vitality, memory decline, insomnia, palpitations, frequent dreaming, and forgetfulness.Remove giblets from the chicken. Place Scrophularia root and Rehmannia root inside the chicken cavity, sew shut securely. Simmer over low heat until tender. Season and consume. Suitable for dizziness, tinnitus, palpitations, hot flashes, restlessness with dry mouth, frequent dreaming with poor sleep, palms and soles feeling hot, red tongue, and fine rapid pulse.
4. Walnut and Lotus Seed Porridge
20g walnut kernels, 18g lotus seeds, 18g euryale seed, 60g rice. Simmer together into porridge, season, and consume. Suitable for dizziness, vertigo, lower back pain, fatigue, edema, frequent nighttime urination, pale tongue with thin white coating, and deep, fine pulse.
5. Deer Antler Gelatin Milk
10g deer antler gelatin, 250ml milk. Bring milk to a boil. Dissolve deer antler gelatin in hot water, mix thoroughly into milk, then add a small amount of honey before consumption.This is a one-day dose, divided into two servings. This medicinal dish nourishes kidney yang and enriches essence and blood. It is suitable for those experiencing impotence, premature ejaculation, nocturnal emissions, cold pain in the lower back and knees, and cold limbs due to kidney qi deficiency during menopause.pork lard, salt, soy sauce, and starch as needed. Heat pork lard in a wok, stir-fry shredded pork and bamboo shoots until cooked, then add remaining seasonings. Serve once daily. Suitable for dizziness, irritability, sallow complexion, and palms/soles heat.